Rachel Brand, the No. 3-ranking official at the Department of Justice behind Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein, plans to leave her post after nine months on the job, the New York Times reported (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/09/us/politics/rachel-brand-justice-department.html) late Friday. Her profile has risen in recent weeks amid speculation about the future of Rosenstein, who tapped Robert Mueller to lead an investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election and contacts with the Trump campaign and who has been criticized by President Trump. Trump has also expressed frustration over Sessions's recusing himself from oversight of the Russia probe. If Rosenstein were to be fired or otherwise vacate his position, Brand, as associate attorney general, would have been in line to step in and oversee the Mueller investigation. NBC said it had confirmed Brand's intention to leave the department, where she has served, according to the Times, in various roles under the past three administrations.